The Year of The Rebrand: Retail for a New Generation
The retail industry is going through an unpredictable phase. Especially with the rise of social media influencers, the high-low brand collaborations, and new contemporary brands that seem to pop up over night. Online shopping has become crucial, and millennials continue to evolve shopping behaviors, forcing top tier labels to reshape their image. It’s hard to keep up with the retail industry’s game of musical chairs, so we’ve put together a quick list below. Read on below to find out who you should be keeping an eye on in 2017.
Abercrombie & Fitch
Abercrombie & Fitch has been on the downswing for sometime now, but 2016 is when they began to turn the corner. They hired a sparkling new executive team—including menswear all-star, Aaron Levine—and took on rebranding efforts with full gusto. The most notable change? A more diverse aesthetic and an update to those outdated, logo-heavy shirts and pants. Although a complete turnaround of fortunes can take time, they’re certainly putting up a strong and positive offering.
Coach
Coach has probably had the fastest turnaround of the four companies mentioned. They’ve completely flipped their image and ramped up their ready-to-wear game, along with introducing celebrity-filled front rows at New York Fashion Week. Stuart Vevers—formally known for revamping Mulberry and Loewe—is the name behind the brand’s new creative direction. What became known as the entry-to-luxury leather goods like Gucci and Hermes, has now been embraced by the industry, and is resonating with both old and new customers. All thanks to the strategy of fashion forward campaigns, cutting back on promotions, and limiting department store presence.
Calvin Klein
The biggest switch-up and worst kept secret within the industry was Raf Simons jump from Dior to CK. The brand has been in need of excitement and innovation, and the industry was absolutely buzzing with anticipation. With Simon’s appreciation for art, underground culture, and love for rebellion, he’s just the man for the job. What started as “a return to the spirit of the original,” and the unveiling of the brand’s new logo, translated rather nicely to minimal designs, modern silhouettes, and playful fabrics on the runway.
The Gap
There are a lot of factors that can be listed for the decline of The Gap: low foot traffic in malls, the non-existence of a creative director, and stiff competition from fast fashion, just to name a few. In our opinion The Gap has had a serious identity crisis—wavering from timeless quality basics, to wanting to keep up with the latest trends, tied together with a lack of creativity. The verdict is still out on this one. It’s been reported that their retail strategy is set to shift to emulate the model of fast fashion companies (think Zara) in 2017, but only time will tell if that strategy proves successful.
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